Silicon Photonics Design Engineer

Job Description:

The successful candidate will join our PIC Design team developing cutting-edge silicon photonics devices. This person will learn and grow rapidly, while having enormous impact across all technical and business activities in a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities:

●   Design, simulate, and optimize silicon photonic active and passive components

●   Implement design automation for simulation and layout tools

●   Support design and verification of PIC layout design

●   Collaborate with integration and test teams to optimize design based on aligned requirements

●   Contribute to the development of new Intellectual Property related to photonic/RF designs

Required:

●   Strong desire to contribute to a high-impact photonics company

●   Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or a related field, or M.S. with 2+ years of industry experience

●   Practical experience in modeling photonic devices or systems with design software (Lumerical, Tidy3D, or similar)

●   Eligible to work in the United States or Taiwan

Desirable:

●   Experience in high-speed modulator design and characterization

●   Hands-on PIC tapeout experience with commercial SiPh foundries using Cadence, GDSfactory, or other similar code-based layout tools

●   Experience developing PICs that have reached HVM for IM-DD or coherent applications 

●   Hands-on experience in high-speed electrode or RF design using HFSS, ADS, or similar tools

●   Proficient in programming (e.g., Python, MATLAB) for design automation and data analysis with version control experience

●   Solid understanding of optical transceiver architectures, system-level requirements, and link analysis

●   Experience in photonic testing and integration at the wafer, die, and package levels 

●   Working knowledge of coherent optical systems and CPO architectures is a plus

●   Familiarity with high-speed analog circuits (e.g., TIAs, modulator drivers) is a plus

Compensation and Benefits:

●   Salary range: $90,000 – $220,000 (for US employees, role level and salary commensurate with experience and impact)

●   Equity

●   Health Benefits

●   Flexible work hours

●   Opportunity for rapid advancement

Location:

This role will generally be hybrid, based in Carlsbad (Greater San Diego), CA or Taiwan, with flexibility open for discussion.

About the Company:

Polaris Electro-Optics is redefining optical interconnects through our breakthrough Ferroelectric Nematic Glass (FenGlass™) technology, enabling ultra-fast, low-power silicon photonic modulators that unlock 400 G/lane and beyond. We’re a Series-A startup backed by leading investors and working with the world’s top datacom and coherent ecosystem players. Join us to define the next generation of optical connectivity.